“Helping King Rory investigate an odd occurrence.”
“King Arach, your wife has been most gracious in offering her assistance,” King Rory stepped forward. “A village disappeared earlier today. It sank into a mud pit that formed in minutes. Queen Vervain helped me raise the homes and harden a foundation beneath them. I'm afraid she exhausted herself. But I assure you, no one has touched your wife inappropriately, myself included. We hold the greatest respect for her.”
Arach stared at Rory. “A village vanished?”
“It sank into the mud,” I said. “And I smelled seawater.”
Arach looked instantly interested. “Did you discover why it sank and smelled of seawater?”
“Not yet. But it's close to the border of Water. I'm wondering if something sketchy is going on.”
“Sketchy?”
“Oh, uh . . . nefarious.”
“Ah,” Arach said. “The water folk are slippery bastards.”
“Indeed,” Rory said.
“Well, good luck with your vanishing villages, King Rory,” Arach said. “I'll be taking my wife back to the Fire Kingdom now.”
I started laughing.
Arach scowled. “You are coming home with me, Vervain.”
“No, I'm not.”
“Why not?!”
“Because I agreed to help King Rory investigate.” I didn't add that Rory was going to help me in return. That would not go over well. When I glanced at Rory, I saw that he had no intentions of enlightening Arach either.
“You are my wife, by your own admission,” Arach growled. “You will obey me!”
I laughed harder.
“Vervain!” Arach roared.
“Shush!” I roared back.
Arach stared at me with wide, horrified eyes.
“I don't obey you,” I huffed. “And I doubt your mother obeyed your father either. I am aDragon Queen. I rulebesideyou.” I sauntered over to him. “And you, my handsome husband, have angered your Queen. Your Queen who has just proven that she can knock you on your dumb ass. So, I'm not going anywhere with you. Unless you've changed your mind and would like to take me to speak with High King Cian?”
Arach grimaced.
“Then, excuse my French, but fuck off, darling.”
King Rory focused on the ceiling. He looked as if he wanted to run away.
Arach changed tactics.
My husband's entire face changed, actually. It shifted into a wicked expression. A sexy one. Arach stepped closer, brushing my body with his, and stroked my hair away from my face. “I've underestimated you,” he purred. “I see that now. I'm willing to talk about it.” His hand trailed down to my neck. “Or discuss it in another way.”
Our stares locked. He leaned down to me. Slowly. His lips brushed mine. Parted.
I grabbed the back of Arach's head and held him in place as I kissed him. And not just any kiss. I breathed fire into him. Instant-erection. Arach's whole body jerked as if he'd been electrocuted. His arms yanked me into an embrace and his hips locked forward. He breathed in deeply, his body coming alive with my fire, then gave me his.
Oh, yeah, that's the stuff. Just what I needed. Flames shot down my throat, bringing every cell in my body to life. Panties wet. Hands grasping. I wanted to slap myself for my stupidity. I'd thought only of what my fire would do to Arach, not what his fire would do to me. If we'd been alone, his clothes would already be gone, burned away by my flames.
